8 Reasons 'Doctor Who' Season 8 Is a Great Place to Start If You're New to the Series

I'm fairly new to the world of Doctor Who, at least relatively speaking. I know how daunting the show can be; with such a huge amount of episodes spanning so many decades, where do you begin? There also seemed to be a whole lot of lore that I needed to figure out when I first started. What does the sonic screwdriver even do? What's a Dalek? Why does The Doctor like bow ties so much?

Luckily, Doctor Who is a lot more accessible than it seems, even for people who don't watch a lot of sci-fi. I think everyone should give it a try, at least to have experienced one of the most important British exports of our generation. And the new season, which airs on BBC America Saturday, Aug. 23 is a great place to start. This season stars Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor (for those who are new to the show, The Doctor is always the same person but sometimes regenerates in a new form) and Jenna Coleman as his companion Clara Oswald. It's the eighth season of the show and Capaldi is the 12th Doctor, but here are eight reasons why Saturday's episode is a great place to start.

2. Clara Oswald

Clara is super witty and has really great clothes. People who think the show is just for men will appreciate her personality and her femininity.

3. All the camp

Doctor Who on YouTube

One of the best parts of Doctor Who is its adorable sci-fi ridiculousness, and this season does not look like it's going to disappoint in that respect. There's even a dinosaur in the pilot.

4. It's fun to watch in real time

Sure, it's a great show to binge watch on Netflix, but Doctor Who has such an intense fan base that it's highly entertaining to watch each episode as it airs. The tumblr, Twitter, and recap reactions are a lot of fun to read, and it's nice to be a part of the vast Whoniverse.

5. Rose Leslie

Clara will sadly be leaving during this season's Christmas episode. The favorite to replace her: Game of Thrones' Rose Leslie, who played Ygritte.

6. It spans a lot of genres

Some episodes of Doctor Who center around sci-fi complexities; others are straight up mystery. For history fanatics, there are always a few period episodes thrown in, and it looks like this season will have a lot of sumptuous Victorian wear.

7. This season's bringing back the classics

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The Season 8 trailer revealed the return of some classic Who villains: the Daleks and the Cybermen. It'll provide a good way for those starting the show to find out about some important lore.

8. It's just a great show

Doctor Who has widely been considered one of the best sci-fi shows on television, and its recent seasons have not disappointed. So whether you start with this season or anywhere else in the long history of Doctor Who, it'll be a treat.